Chhattisgarh: Jashpur villagers cry hoarse over no power and road since independence

RAIPUR: Hours after three panchayats of tribal Jashpur district threatened to boycott elections and chief minister’s Loksuraj Abhiyan, alleging that they were deprived of road and electricity since independence, the government swung into action and sanctioned an amount of Rs 5 crore for construction of road.
Nearly 15000 people from gram panchayats of Kaliya, Butunga and Gaaylunga in Jashpur were out on roads from Monday evening complaining that their villages were deprived of basic amenities of road and electricity since independence while most of the year, the villages turn into island with no bridge available for connectivity to neighbouring regions.

The agitated villagers said that they would protest and boycott chief minister Raman Singh’s innovative programme Loksuraj Abhiyan beginning from January 12.

Though the construction of road was initiated in 2004 under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, it ended with mere repair work, leaving the road in dilapidated state.

One Pritam Yadav was quoted as saying that he has given application to both chief minister and collector for 14 times requesting for road and electricity but we just received promises.

“Even Lord Ram had returned from his exile in 14 years, but a road couldn’t be built here in so many years. There have been 13 deaths in 2017 as ambulances couldn’t reach our villages in emergency cases, due to absence of road and health facility. Children have to walk down several kilometres everyday to school as the road couldn’t cater to either two-wheeler or four-wheeler drives.”

He added that locals would continue to protest till the road and electricity are made available.

We will intensify the protest to blocking roads during Lok Suraj Abhiyan and later boycott elections, he said.

Another local Jakariyash Minj said that he has spent several thousands of rupees in travelling to Raipur to meet CM in Raipur during jan darsahan, though we were told that the issue was under consideration, there’s no result till date.

Fuming villagers claimed that they haven’t seen any officer or legislator visiting their region to address the problem. During rainy season their villages turn into island disconnecting them to the world for several months.

Amid agitation and news of boycotting elections, government swung into action and an amount was sanctioned on Tuesday from rural development and panchayat department.

When contacted Jashpur collector Priyanka Shukla told TOI, “The issue was raised in recent e-jandarshan chaired by CM Raman Singh and taking serious of the issue, a sanction of Rs 5 crore has been made under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana for construction of road stretching to 14.2 kilometres.

Construction work would begin once tender is issued. As far as electricity is concerned, there are technical issues under forest policy as the villages are located in interior forested regions. But the villages definitely have been introduced with electricity via solar panels installed and the review results were positive. Still administration would consider improving solar facility in these villages.”

People said that earlier also administration had promised to construct road within three months time but even after several months, there was no sign of development.

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